My TR3650 Swap

[crownvic97]

Well, after getting my engine done and making sure the car was running right I decided to set my sights on to the next project. Getting rid of the automatic.

I went back and forth on which transmission to use. I ended up picking the TR3650 due to its ease of install, and very low price ($700 shipped to my door for this rebuilt leftover)

https://i.imgur.com/KUis3UX.jpg

Many of you know Pier from CVN, some posts here, and his many manual swap videos on YouTube. He was nice enough to make a weekend trip to my neck of the woods to help me with the swap. Fellow member Massacre was also kind enough to come help with the project. I agreed to remove the interior bits and automatic before they both arrived to speed up the process.


Started by draining the transmission fluid:
https://i.imgur.com/zqTdQXQ.jpg

Then I got the interior stripped:
https://i.imgur.com/AedXTeP.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/m0ZsFvf.jpg

The parts pile grows:
https://i.imgur.com/FX71eGF.jpg

Then I removed the cooler lines and dipstick:
https://i.imgur.com/NApXwID.jpg

After a little persuasion the crossmember followed suite and the transmission came out soon after:
https://i.imgur.com/OV1L9tJ.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/czKJ8ji.jpg

This was what I was left with, ready to add parts once Pier arrived!
https://i.imgur.com/ejrnH5u.jpg

[crownvic97]

Pier got in late on Friday night, around 1:30am, so the plan was to start early Saturday am and see how far we could get!

Clutch went in quickly:
https://i.imgur.com/KQKPJcN.jpg

Measuring the shifter hole:
https://i.imgur.com/ImlXXLI.jpg

Marking where to cut the crossmember:
https://i.imgur.com/ff05Sjy.jpg

A hole and a crazy Canadian :P
https://i.imgur.com/iPKMHqB.jpg

The modified crossmember:
https://i.imgur.com/x65gWTQ.jpg

Transmission in!
https://i.imgur.com/QarYv6f.jpg

Getting late and getting close:
https://i.imgur.com/9MEsPBC.jpg

It was around midnight, but the car finally was bolted together and was able to start that night. 12hrs from start we had a manual Marauder!
https://i.imgur.com/gghZ8w9.jpg

[crownvic97]

Sunday morning was raining but we were able to take the car off of jack stands and take it for a test drive. The car runs flawlessly and the transmission functions as it should!

I decided I wanted to make the car look as factory as possible so this required making a new shifter to work with the console.

https://i.imgur.com/XuDaRI5.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/rizyH2R.jpg

Not beautiful, but functional for now!

I got a leather shift knob and thanks to a few previous swappers I learned the 2005-2009 Mustang shift boot fits with just small modification. Here is the final results:

https://i.imgur.com/b9cYVUy.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/c8pLdQS.jpg


I have to say I’m absolutely in love with the swap. It’s been about a week now and I’ve already put about 600 miles on the car.

HUGE thank you to Pier and Rob for their help, I would not have been able to get this project done in such a high quality and timely fashion without their help!

Now I need gears and control arms, It never ends! :D

[decipha]

very nice she looks mint

[MyBlackBeasts]

Pics and details of the clutch pedal and master install?

[boom boom]

Very Nice. I have all the parts sitting in the shed ready for this swap. Your pictures will probably motivate me to get this done as I sort the engine out.

[musclemerc]

This was a good read but where is the pedal info? Clutch cable or master cylinder?

Nice work!!

[crownvic97]

I used ADTR for the pedals, they are excellent and fit like they came in the car.
https://i.imgur.com/GPj1tYO.jpg


Here they are installed:
https://i.imgur.com/rAOsr5g.jpg

As far as the clutch, I used a simple cable setup. Ford cable, firewall adjuster, and aluminum quadrant. That’s all pretty self explanatory.

[martyo]

What’s you do for a tune???

[crownvic97]

What’s you do for a tune???

Oh yeah! :P


Shout out to Marty at Mo’s for a spot on tune! No CEL, no flashing OD, just perfection!

Give this man your money!!!

[MyBlackBeasts]

I used ADTR for the pedals, they are excellent and fit like they came in the car.



As far as the clutch, I used a simple cable setup. Ford cable, firewall adjuster, and aluminum quadrant. That’s all pretty self explanatory.




Thanks!! Does ADTR offer pedals for hydraulic setup?

[crownvic97]

Thanks!! Does ADTR offer pedals for hydraulic setup?

The pedals will work with the McLeod hydraulic kits.

[MyBlackBeasts]

The pedals will work with the McLeod hydraulic kits.


Cool! Thanks!

[loud2004marquis]

Very nice job, looks factory!

[offroadkarter]

The pedals will work with the McLeod hydraulic kits.

Are you going to go this route? It's something I've been heavily considering for a while now.

[justbob]

It takes 45 minutes or more of heavy stop and go traffic to get old with my hydraulic twin disc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[offroadkarter]

It takes 45 minutes or more of heavy stop and go traffic to get old with my hydraulic twin disc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

what twin disc are you running? I've been happy with my RXT. Absolutely hated my Centerforce dual friction before that.

[crownvic97]

Are you going to go this route? It's something I've been heavily considering for a while now.

I am most certainly going to convert down the road, I am however pleasantly surprised by the clutch effort with the cable, not bad at all in my option. My last manual was a 79 Trans Am with a heavy pedal, so I’m not coming from anything modern.


what twin disc are you running? I've been happy with my RXT. Absolutely hated my Centerforce dual friction before that.

That’s funny, I love the Centerforce so far, but I have nothing to compare it to.

[crownvic97]

It takes 45 minutes or more of heavy stop and go traffic to get old with my hydraulic twin disc.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

I haven’t gotten stuck in a good traffic jam yet, I think it will take significantly less than 45 minutes for mine to get old though lol

[justbob]

what twin disc are you running? I've been happy with my RXT. Absolutely hated my Centerforce dual friction before that.



I’ve been on the factory GT500 twin for six years, hence why we only dynoed mine to 5,700. But it did take approximately 1,200#s (or more LOL) of 5 guys to weigh her down to keep the tires from spinning. But at 5,700 the F1 was determined to spin something so the clutch was next.. On the street it seems fine as the tires normally break loose and far less weight, but the grab point has really raised over the years so it’s due fairly soon. Probably mid travel now as opposed to right off the floor.

The RXT is what Jeff said to go with when I switch. He claims far less issues than anyone else in the $1,500 and under category. Hopefully I’ll either get more time than expected or sell her off before that point as I really have zero interest in throwing much more money at her!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[offroadkarter]

I haven’t gotten stuck in a good traffic jam yet, I think it will take significantly less than 45 minutes for mine to get old though lol

This is part of the reason I hated it. Crawling the car around carlisle on those steep hills the first year I had this done pissed me off. I do not regret swapping to the Mcleod RXT. That might be a little aggressive for your trans tho, the RST twin disc would be a good match if you wanted to go that route and keep the 5 speed.

I'd try the hydraulic conversion first and see how it is.



I’ve been on the factory GT500 twin for six years, hence why we only dynoed mine to 5,700. But it did take approximately 1,200#s (or more LOL) of 5 guys to weigh her down to keep the tires from spinning. But at 5,700 the F1 was determined to spin something so the clutch was next.. On the street it seems fine as the tires normally break loose and far less weight, but the grab point has really raised over the years so it’s due fairly soon. Probably mid travel now as opposed to right off the floor.

The RXT is what Jeff said to go with when I switch. He claims far less issues than anyone else in the $1,500 and under category. Hopefully I’ll either get more time than expected or sell her off before that point as I really have zero interest in throwing much more money at her!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

See the problem with you selling your car off is that 98% of people won't give you what all your time is worth, and clearly you have a hell of a lot of time into that car. You might as well just pop a new clutch in and turn the wick up.

https://manticclutchusa.com/pages/shelby-gt500-clutch-kits-twin-triple-disc

Other option is the Mantic, if this was available when I swapped i honestly would have probably pulled the trigger. But I'm happy with my RXT, it's just the setup that is a PITA. A lot of terminator owners who run the RXT with a Fidanza aluminum flywheel had to notch the trans and shorten the pivot ball in order to allow the fork to articulate fully. I am running the Mcleod lightened steel flywheel so I did not need to do that. Seems others who went my route w/ the terminators also had the same results, just shorten the pivot ball and it'll be fine.

The only thing I don't like about my RXT is it grabs high off the floor, but I've read this is normal. I'm going to see if I can mess with the pedals to overcome that, I like a pedal that grabs off the floor.